Segundina C. Vizcarra struggled hard to provide a better life for her family. Coming from a very poor family, she didn’t get the chance to go to school. Instead, she worked as an embroiderer for the rich and famous.
Her intricate embroidery made a wealthy matron a fanatic. Doña Angela Tuason helped Segundina put up her own embroidery shop at old Ermita in 1925. The exquisite craftsmanship became a buzz among the affluent families in Manila. They had her embroider handkerchiefs, tablecloths, shirts, and even traje de bodas (wedding gowns)
A couple of years after, Segundina was requested to open another store at a US military base in Pampangga, Fort Strotsenberg (now Clark Air Base). Her embroidery shop was the first concessionaire at Clark, making it the first ever trade shop in US military bases worldwide. The embroidery business was successful at the base. In total, she was able to open 16 stores in all 27 US military bases including the bases in Hawaii and Guam.
It was her skill in embroidery elevated her status in life. The success of S.C. Vizcarra became a legacy that was passed on to her equally creative daughter, Vicky Amalingan – the bag lady.
The tradition goes on…
Although the war may pose as a tragic memory to most Filipinos, this period still became a full circle moment for Segundina’s embroidery shop. It was during this period that she got to meet war icons such as President Dwight Eisenhower and General Douglas McArthur. They admire the S.C. Vizcarra embroidery and have frequent the shop for embroidered barong tagalogs, shirts, and other personal items. It was also during this period when Segundina was requested to embroider the last US flag in time for Philippines’ independence from the US on July 4, 1946.
A year after, the Philippine government requested her to embroider a 12-piece piña (pineapple) tablecloth set to be presented to Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II on her wedding day. Then a decade after, she was given the Merchandise Appraisal Award by the Allied Art of Seattle for her fine quality embroidered works.
The success of her embroidery business carried on until the tumultuous years of the Martial Law era. It was also at this time that the Philippine government finally recognized her significant contribution to the development and promotion of the cottage industry. She was among the very first recipients of the Panday Pira award.
However, political uncertainties pushed the decline of Segundina’s business. She was forced to close most of her stores particularly those at the US bases and even her store in Ermita.
The 80s may not be a good decade for S.C. Vizcarra. However, Segundina managed to keep the business for her growing workers. Thus, she went into the export side of the business.
The tradition of quality export and service lives on through her daughter, Vicky. She has carried on with the exporting business. And like her mom, she has also dedicated her life to the business that has provided a good life for the family and to their workers. “S.C. Vizcarra is not only about money…it is more of a mission. Maybe I am staying here because of the memory of my mother. But most importantly, it’s also because of the people,” Vicky shares.
After decades of making embroidery items, Vicky refocused the company into a houseware and home décor manufacturing company. Her first exported products were the watermelon baskets.
Together they stand
Changing the line of business brought good things to S.C. Vizcarra. Most of their houseware products were a hit among foreign buyers. The export business was really good that the company ships four to five containers per week.
However, tough competition aroused during the later years of the 90s. As China inched its way on becoming a trading superpower, the Philippine export industry had its ups and downs. And as for S.C. Vizcarra, it is time to do an overhaul.
“China came and so there were a lot of ups and downs for us. We didn’t even come close. By the year 2000, it was really bad already. I have decided to come back and upgrade,” Vicky relates.
And although their baskets are doing well in the international market, still, Vicky felt that it is time to focus on product design which the Filipinos are very much competitive. From baskets, she conceptualized the wicker pillows. Just like her baskets, the wicker pillows attracted more buyers and were even featured in an international magazine. More than that, it got a lot of buzz when celebrity fashion designer, Giorgio Armani, and lifestyle diva, Martha Stewart, became avid fans of the unique pillows.
Consequently, the ASEAN Center in Japan requested Vicky to do a stint in fashion accessories. Her first project, handbags. With no background in design, she immediately turned down the offer. However, the group still persuaded her to give it a try. With so much thought and considerations, she accepted the challenge.
Together with her weavers, Vicky began to design handbags. As compared to pillows and baskets, handbags are a tough one to make. The company doesn’t have enough materials nor do they know where to get them. Instead, her weavers thought of other ways to create a handbag. With only a few months before another trade show in Japan, S.C. Vizcarra was able to showcase 50 handbags which were instantly sold out. Before they left Japan, other manufacturers and buyers in the trade show placed their orders for the bag. In fact, it was even more than what she has expected. From that show, they sold about US$ 278,000.
“The buyers were really impressed. I think we made about US$ 278,000. My God! It was better than before…You know, I wasn’t really into fashion and I didn’t realize that so many wanted our handbags,” she excitingly shares.
The new product line sheds new light to Vicky’s business. The handbags brought in more income than those of their other products. Most of their clients are fascinated with the intricate weaving of indigenous materials and unique designs of the handbag.
Its initial success in the international market drew a lot of inspirations for Vicky and her workers. Thus, she encouraged her workers to be more creative when it comes to weaving handbags. “What we do is that we work and I always tell our people what we like to do is to widen your ideas. I want to get their creative ideas. I want them to use their creative juices, be artistic, and create something which others have not seen,” she narrates.
Fortunate for Vicky, her workers were always ready to support her endeavors. And though handbag making is quite new to them at that time, they are very eager to learn and are now reaping the success of their hardwork.
Handbags crafted to perfection
S.C. Vizcarra handbags are a hit among Japanese and European market. This was very obvious when they first launched the handbag line at the Manila F.A.M.E. International, a bi-annual event organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), many Japanese buyers swarmed their booth and were very pleased with the items. Up to this day, the bulk of S.C. Vizcarra’s exported handbags go to their Japanese buyers who often order 5,000 to 200,000 pieces.
Avant-garde yet traditional – this is how buyers describe Vicky’s fabulous collection of handbags. It is a stylish fusion of local and synthetic materials whose designs are crafty and high-end – fit for the classy fashionista.
Vicky’s bags are not just trendy. They are award winning as well. The Tekawitha bag won best design at the Manila F.A.M.E. International Katha Awards. The win was totally unexpected. “Pinilit ko lang gawin yan. Ni hindi ko pa nga balak isali yan kasi feeling ko that time maraming mali (I was just trying to create that. I don’t even have plans of joining that at the Katha Awards because I felt that what I did was wrong),” she explains. However, it was also this bag that became an instant hit in Europe.
Aside from the trend-setting bags, her pillows have also gained international recognitions. It won the G-Mark award, a recognition given to the good quality design, at the ASEAN Japan Centre. It was also recognized at the UNESCO and was given the Award for Excellence.
And as S.C. Vizcarra continues to emerge as a top Filipino quality exporter, Vicky finds more avenues as to where she can promote fine Filipino craftsmanship. She is currently re-branding and elevating S.C. Vizcarra to cater the high-end market in the US. One of the company’s current projects is working with a popular fashion and lifestyle brand that would carry her signature wicker pillows and handbags.
Throughout these achievements, Vicky is always grateful that she had a hard-working bunch that is persevering, patient, and willing to sacrifice long hours of work just to get the job done. She says that it is not easy to find people like what she has right now. Most of them have worked for her mom and are still with her to push through with the business. There are tough times running the business. But seeing the desire of her people inspires her to do more and look for more business opportunities.
“It is because of them why I am still doing this business. They have been with through good and rough times. What I do is that I encourage to do good and make the Philippines standout through our products and designs,” Vicky ends.
For more information on S.C. Vizcarra, log on to www.scvizcarra.com.
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